Sorry so late today everyone, I'm still adjusting to the new schedule & job. But I think this is a good one!
{democracy:215}
(As you can see, I don't have PhotoShop installed on my work computer yet, so this is the best I could cobble together.)
This is a great instance of magic vs science. Can a light saber cut through magic-forged steel? Will the terror powers of the Dark Lords overawe the training of the Dark Jedi? Will the awesome facial tattoos of the Sith dominate the faceless masks of the Black Riders?
You decide!
THIS IS EPIC!! I CANT DECIDE!
That’s easy. Even if a lightsaber can’t harm the armor of a Nazgul (let’s just say for hypothetical reasons the Witch King), a Sith (shall we say Darth Vader?) could just lift him up with the Force and crumple him into a paperweight.
Ah, but you’re assuming the Nazgul have a physical form that’s affected by the Force. They do wear robes and such but the beings themselves are mostly spirits, as I recall.
No man can stop the Nazgul, but there are some Sith Ladies such as Lumiya and Olaris Rhea, who could put the hurt on them.
To quote Captain Faramir of Gondor, Man of Quality:
“NAZ-GUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUL!”
Aye, exactly my thoughts.
Looking at the results, I seem to be in the minority, but I think the Nazgul would win. Mostly it comes from them being functionally immortal. They have literally thousands of years of experiance, and can only be killed under specific circumstances (at least twice in the books, swords actually broke after hitting them–just plain shattered–and didn’t leave a scratch). They also have access to powerful magic; the Witch King in particular was shown to be even more powerful than a wizard, and wizards in the Tolkien universe are actually minor deities. Really the only things sith have going for them are their technology and force manipulation. The tech advantage won’t be that great, since both sith and jedi mostly ignore the more advanced weaponry in favor of melee-style weapons like lightsabres; and I don’t think that the more psychological aspects of the force (mind and emotion manipulation, which is the part the sith are good at) would really work on nazgul that well, since their minds are all connected to both eachother and Sauron. Force lightning might work out in the short-run, but, like I said above, Nazgul are notoriously hard to kill.
So, in summary, I think the Nazgul would wipe the floor with the Sith.
/nerd-splanation
Gero’s got the gist of it.
Nazgul.
Also, the attacker was often, themselves, harmed by attacking the Nazgul.
I say Sith. For one I believe the force lightning would work on a Nazgul. Also, not sure if a lightsabre could cut them (maybe?), but I am pretty sure it could parry their dark magic attacks, seeing as lightsabres routinely block high speed laser with ease.
The secret apprentice was able to defeat the ghost of obi wan kenobi in the ultimate sith ending, as Nazgul are cursed ghosts of old kings , a sith could also kill them.
I vote Nazgûl. They aren’t flashy, jump around, stick fighters. Sure, they move slow, deliberate, plodding… methodical, deadly. I like that. Unless I’m at the point of the blade not hands on the hilt.
Point being, Nazgûl are patient because they are powerful. Whereas Sith are over-confident and hasty. I’d go so far as to say Darth Vader is a Nazgûl in method and madness.
The Sith have conquered entire star systems, whereas the Nazgul failed to conquer a single landmass. Advantage: Sith.
Lets not forget the banshee like screams that the nazgul have…that shit probably hurts like hell…
I’m such a Tolkien fanboy I have to go with the Nazgul. As has been mentioned they are functionally immortal so long as the One Ring remains intact. Their very presence instills a deep dread and foreboding in all living things. Not to mention there’s an extremely powerful being older than the universe itself pouring his power and hatred directly into them. Hell, even when Eowyn and Merry managed to kill the Witch-King they almost died afterwards from the aftermath. Nazgul all the way, they’re beyond conventional death.
Unlike DiCicatriz, I’m a huge Star Wars fanboy, however, I’m siding with the Nazghul for the same reasons. This isn’t actually a duel between technology vs. magic, this is magic vs. The Force. And the Nazghul have been forced into their infernal existence through the will of Sauron, essentially a being composed of pure magic at the time of Lord of the Rings. Even if we accept that the Force is the equal of magic (which I doubt, as the Force is fed from life, and therefore could have problems dealing with evil, undead spirits), there is no equivalent to Sauron among the Sith. (i.e. There is no Sith Lord composed completely of the Dark Side who can drag the spirits of thirteen dead Jedi into a state of Undeath, and force them to do his bidding). At best, a capable Lord of the Sith might be able to drive off a single Nazghul. And like the Tusken Raiders, they’d come back in greater numbers.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have another pressing debate on my hands: pancetta vs prosciutto, which one will make a better pannini? If any foodies out there want to debate the merits of Italian cured pork meats vis a vis hot sandwiches, their input would be welcome.
I would go with Nazgul. A Sith might be able to defeat a group of Ringwraiths in a battle or two. (After all, Aragorn held himselft against five Nazguls, among them the Witch-King) Yet at the end of the day, it all comes down to this: The Ringwraiths are technical immortal and Sith aren’t. The Nazgul will exist as long Sauron does. They can’t be killed with swords, burned or drowned, while even a powerful Sith-Lord like Emperor Palpatine can die. (I’m not counting now all the novels, where Palpatine returned in a cloned body, but even then he finally got killed for good.)
hmmm–Sith & Nazgul both can be distracted from small key fighters, both can police wherever they attend, both can use mystical powers and melee weapons, both can instill fear and not show it, both can actively and passively corrupt their enemy. . . BUT for insight and sheer treachery, a Sith lord needed a schematic weakness and blundering bureaucracy to lose a Deathstar–and still lived, where a skilled equestrian tricked several Nazgul into harm’s way. Sith. MYRO? why not both? A p^2LT. or a GYRO.
I believe it’s a question of whether prosciutto or pancetta has the higher level of midichlorians, taking into account the difficulty involved in toasting lembas in the Panini-Press of Doom when your hand’s cut off.
Now if you’ll excuse me , I have to figure all the variables in a JarJar vs Bombadil matchup.
I’m very big star wars fan, and i more like sith lords, but i vote for Nazgul. I also think what hyperanthropos wrote it. The Nazguls are immortals, nothing hurting they because they only spirits.
Nazgul. When you seem to slay them, they come back on bigger beasts.
I believe that is incorrect. It’s no man can harm the Witch King, who is the leader of the Nazgul. Maybe I’m wrong but I don’t remember the same being said of the other Nazgul.
Oh sweet baby jesus NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! We can’t repel suckage of that magnitude!
Nazgul win, Obi Wan sayeth so. Sith are corporeal. Argue with Kenobi, Yoda, and Anakin’s ghosts.
siths can be killed but nazgul cant!
Two words. Darth. Vader. ‘Nuff said.
I see several EASY paths to victory for the Sith:
1. Leave the planet. Middle Earth is now a prison planet.
2. Blow the whole dang planet up with the Deathstar, haul all remains (including the Ring) into the sun – way hotter than Mt Doom.
3. The Sith could also enlist their own magic with the help of the sith witches.
4. Fly a couple of Star Destroyers into Mordor to provide cover for Frodo and Sam.
5. Let the Fellowship borrow a shuttle and pilot in Rivendel.
5. Enjoy your immortality Mr. Nazgul… in a life sentence in one of our ray shield prisons.
I vote Sith. Technology, numbers, maneuverability, ease of access to temperatures hotter than Mt Doom, etc.
One does not simply walk into Mordor, one rides in on a Star Destroyer.
Going to have to go with Sith on this one. For one, most of you are forgetting that the Nazgul are enslaved to Sauron. Even Frodo was able to take out that dude. Which means that all a Sith would have to do is take out Sauron and the Nazgul are TOAST!! Secondly, yes, the Nazgul can’t be slain by regular blades but a lightsaber is composed of energy. One kind of energy interfering with another kind of energy (a.k.a. Nazgul ghost energy) equals BAD THINGS. I think that a lightsaber should be able to affect a Nazgul at the least. Plus most Sith are cunning and smart. Nazgul are just henchmen. I also have to agree with Dudemeister. I just don’t think a Nazgul could stand up to the Death Star. Sorry folks. Think Sith would win this.
It really depends. Is the Sith a woman? Because then, sith would definitely win.
I think the earlier commenter is right, the “no man” prophecy was only for the Witch-King, the leader of the Nazgul. The others are not bound by it.
Jeff, was this your inspiration for this weeks poll?
https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=358395854189874&set=a.223098324386295.105971.205344452828349&type=1&theater
Dan: Ha, that’s great! You know, I did see that earlier in the week, so maybe subconsciously that planted the idea. I didn’t think do it intentionally, though.
My vote goes Nazgul, but here’s a thought for ya- I’ve said for years that “Angmar” is a total Sith name anyway, being composed of “angst”- psychological unrest or torment, and “mar”- to deface and/or ruin…
How epic would a Sith Witch-King be; I mean really? 🙂
I think I go with the Nazgul because of the One Ring… Any sith would want the power of the Ring for him/herself and thus fall under the influence of Sauron. Then they would become servants at the side of Nazguls and that would mean the Nazguls are the victors. But if we do not take the Ring into account, I don’t really know… I prefer SW, but also like LotR very much.
nazgul are cool and so are sith but i like nazgul
I voted Nazgul for a variety of different reasons already stated here.
NOW, as far as your sandwich conundrum, please correct me if I’m wrong, but pancetta is basically cured pork belly and prosciuto is a cured ham. Personally I”d go with prosciuto for a sandwich if you’re going for a straight up meat’n’cheese sandwich. Now, if you want a spruced up version of a BLT then pancetta is the way to go. However, the best route is to use a couple of thick slices of pancetta as a highlight on a prosciutto and gruyere sandwich. Couple that with some mayo, crisp lettuce, a slice of tomato and some good mustard and you’re good to go. 😉
The Witch-King can beat up any wannabe Palpatine/Vader. I don’t want to hear your arguments. They’re all invalid!
It’s definitely the Sith. There are a lot of points against them, but they can all be countered by the fact that they can power toasters by wiggling their fingers and thinking evil thoughts.